Spring construction for chair seats or the like



M. LEVINE Aug. 16, 1932.

SPRING CONSTRUCTION FOR CHAIR SEATS OR THE LIKE Filed July 23, 1929 and inexpensive. I

various types have been used for this pur 3 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED PUBN OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A; CORPORATION OF NEW ,YORK

SPRING ooNs'rRUcTmNroR- GHAIR SE ATS'OR THE LIKE Application filed July 23,

Thisinvention relates to spring constructions such as are used for making chair or sofa seats, or the like, its objectbeing to provide a unit which is durable, comfortable, Spring constructions of pose, one type commonly used comprising rows of spiral springs, the lower ends of which are engaged by rigid bars, the ends 'of which bars may be fixed to the chairor sofa frame. Such bars, while serving to give a durable support for the springs, are nevertheless objectionable, in that they are unyielding and do not afford a seat of much comfort. It has been proposed to use resiliently flexible metal strips in place of bars, but as heretofore used, such supports have been liable to become permanently deformed when subjected to the stresses of use.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a frame with which the resiliently flexible strips may be readily assembled, the assembled construction preferably being designed so that bending force may be transmitted from the strips to the frame, which 1 may be made sufficiently rigid to withstand distortion. .More particularly, the frame comprises spaced, parallel members, certain of which are suspended from arched mem- "bers or trusses. These members serve as supports for the strips, which may be placed in spaced, parallel relation across the members, rows of spiral springs being mounted above the strips at the regions of contact of the strips with the members, with the lower end portions of the springs preferablyserving to fix the strips to the frame, and the strips 7 1929. Serial No. 380,338.

f r lc MAC LEVINE, or MALDEN, MAssAcHusE'r'rs, ssIGNoRro KAY rrniwurinorname co;

Figure 5 is aside elevationof a modified form of construction. a

The frame shown in Figure 1, which'may bemade of wire,comprises a one-piece structure 1 of generally rectangular form, the ends of which may be joined as by aferrule 2.

The structure l consists" of a pairofopposite parallel members3 for out-er rows of springs, and a pair of opposite, upwardly archedmembers 4, from whlch latter, one or more mem bers for. one or "more inter-mediate rows of springs may be suspended. As shown, a member'5 is arranged in parallel relation-to and preferably midway of the'members 4, I

its end portions 6 being bent upwardly and fixed to themembers-4. In order to prevent the members-3 from being sprungapart by bending force transmitted through the member 5 to the arched members 4 and thence to the ends-of the members 3, the ends of the members 3 arepreferably tied together as by means of rods'7,"thusforming trusses, from whichthe member 5 is suspended. A'p'lu' ralit-y of resiliently flexible metalstrips '8,

for lnstance three strips, as shown in: Figure 2, may be placedacross the parallel supporting :members spaced," parallel relation. The stripsgare preferably spaced apart at equal distances, so that' the springs may be mounted at equal distances above the strips at the regions vofcontact of the strips and the frame. The strips are shown extending beyond the members 3, where they are bent up- I wardly at'9 and horizontally outwardly at their "end portions 10, so that the construction'may be suspended from a chair orsofa frame, the ends lO'being secured to the frame as by nails. As best shown in Figure 4,suitable upwardlybent portions 11 arepreferably formed 'in the strips-at their regions of contact ,with the frame, so that the lower end portion of aspiral spring 12 of the conventional compression type mayT-be passed. under the frame on' one side 11a of each portion 11, thence over thestrip, thence again'under the frame on the 'otherside 11b of the portion 11, and thence again over the strip. The lowermost'*'convolution of the spring thus encompasses the portion 11 of the strip, and by its inherent resiliency remains fixed in this position while preventing longitudinal or lateral displacement of the strips, the portions 11 of the strips also serving as seats to fix the lower ends of the springs against displacement. After mounting the springs, a suitable cushion support may be assembled on and fixed to the upper ends of the springs, that shown in Figure 3 comprising a rectangular frame 13 secured as by means of clips 14 to the-uppermost convolutions of the outer springs. Supporting wires 1 1a ma be strung across the upper ends of the springs and secured at their'ends't'o the frame13, the wires being provided withportions .15 projecting below the uppermost convolutions of the springs andlengaged by links 16,-which serve to keep the upper endsofgthesprings from lateral movement. I 7

Should a plurality of parallel frame members for supporting aplurality of rows of i springs be provided inplace of the member 5 showninFigures l and 2, between theframe members-3, the end portionsl? of these, members may; be bent angularly and brought: together, as shown in Figure 5,.3I1dffiXd at the center of the arched members 4 as by a ferrule 18.

When weight is applied'to the construction, the strips tend to flexqat their centralpor tions, but excessivebending is avoided, as excessive bending force is transmitted through members 5 to the, arched members 4,. which are ableto resist it. r

' Certain embodiments of this invention having been disclosed, it should be evident to those skilledin the art. thatvarious changes I and modifications 'might be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of invention; as set, forth in. the appended claims.

I claim: V 1. The combination With acne-piece wire frame of generally rectangular form having opposite parallel-members and opposite upwardly arched membersyand a-wire member suspended from said arched members and arrangedbetween and parallel'to said'parallel members, of a plurality of resiliently flexible strips extendingin spaced, parallelrelation between said parallel membersand-rows-of spiral springsfixed above said strips at the regions of contact of said strips with .said frame and servingto-fix said strips'to said frame.

2. The combination with a one-piecewire frame of generally rectangular form having opposite parallel members and opposite upwardly arched members, a wire member suspended from said arched members and ar-- ranged between and paralleltosaid first-mentioned members and wire members-for tying togetherthe ends of.said'first mentioned parallel'members, of a plurality of-;resiliently flexible strips extending in spaced, parallel relationj between-said parallel members and rows of spiral springs fixedabove said strips.

at the regions of contact of said strips with said frame and serving to fix said strips to said frame.

3. The combination with aone-piece wire frame of generally rectangular form having, opposite parallel members and opposite upwardly, arched members, a wire member suspended from said arched members and arranged between and parallel to said first-mention'e'dmembers, and wire members for tying, together the ends of said first-mentioned parallel members Of a plurality of resiliently flexible strips extending in spaced, parallel relation across said parallel members, and rows of spiral springs fixed above said strips at the regions of contact of said strips with said frameand serving to fix said strips to said frame, the end portions of said strips extending beyond said parallel members and being formed for suspending the device from a chair frame or the like.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. 1

MAC LEVINE. 

